~Provoking the Imagination~

Feeling Satisfied After LOST

Last night the fourth season of LOST wrapped up and it left me feeling intensely satisfied.

It is inarguably clear that the writers now have an end-goal in sight and are steadily working towards it. I’ll admit, in earlier seasons, they played it pretty fast and loose with previous plot elements and characters. That didn’t bother me, mind you, I enjoyed the ride no matter how bumpy, but I understood how it could be frustrating for some. Those days are over, though. Season four was tight from the get-go and only got better with each episode.

In fact, this fourth season was probably the most consistent, reliable, and well-written of any previous seasons. And as all season finales must, it left us with plenty of questions. Consequently, it also unquestionably answered some gargantuan mysteries posed throughout the season as well. I’ll say it again because I think it bears repeating, I think this was probably its strongest season in terms of pure story-telling from the first episode to the last and I can’t tell you how much I appreciate the pure craft and creativity involved in delivering such an intricate and well thought-out tale.

There’s such beauty in how the title has taken on a whole new meaning! (Spoilers ahead!) How perfect that it is literally the island that is now lost. I love the irony as well that Jack previously wanted nothing more than to get his friends off the island so they could be found, and now that he’s accomplished that task, he’s the one who must gather them together to take them back. Of all people, how befitting that he’s the one most lost without the island! It’s the classic case of not knowing what you truly want until you can’t have it any longer and then subsequently feeling empty. Aren’t we all guilty of that in some aspect or another?

Oh, sure, there are still plenty of questions, but isn’t that entirely the fun of the show? Those questions that leave us with such a plethora of possibilities, I can’t help but get excited to see what’s in store of us! For instance, where (or when) is the island? What has Sawyer and Juliet been up to for the last three years? Was that really Locke in the coffin? (Totally NOT who I thought it would be, by the way. My money was on Michael, and I’m pretty sure they manipulated me into thinking so from the beginning. I’m such a sucker.) What is the significance of the name Jeremy Bentham? Did Jin and Michael really die? Is Hurley really nuts, and if not, why is he talking to dead people? Best of all, has Sun turned evil because Jack let Jin perish? (Oh, what a wonderful villainess she would make after being repressed for so long! I’d love to see all her spite and anger unleashed!) Furthermore, what’s in store for the fantastic additions to the cast in the fourth season-Miles, Charlotte, Frank, and the wonderfully quirky Daniel? What’s Claire’s connection to Jacob and Christian? Is that really Christian, or is that pesky smoke-monster doing impersonations again?

This season’s finale delivered the “wow-factor” in terms of surprise, action, drama, adventure, and pure excitement. I know season five is a long ways off, but like so much in life, anticipation is sublime! Thanks to all involved with LOST for giving us a season to be proud of!